You do NOT need an extra long socket to get Ground Posts out - simply put socket on Ground Post and then socket/rachet halfway in socket hole:

Pry open tab CAREFULLY to get connectors off Fuel Injectors:

Remove fittings on all six (6) Fuel Injectors and remove entire Fuel Rail:

Remove Wire Holder connected to valve cover (by this point all wires, connectors, etc should be disconnected) - Note the blue-headed that BMW says need to be replaced. I disagree

Remove Positive Battery Terminal:

Valve Cover should be able to come off now. Use a putty knife and seperate Valve Cover from Head - do NOT force it or you could crack it. Also, don't gouge the head with any tool you use. I was able to get it loose by just lossening one side:

Cool pics of motor with Valve Cover off - look at that sexy motor LOL:

Get all Gasket material off of Valve Cover and Motor, being careful not to let anything fall into Motor. As you can see below, there's no way this old Valve Cover Gasket was sealing! Had a talk with Rob Beck today regarding this and the gasket not sealing can cause a lot more issues than one might think. The head breathes into the Valve Cover. If the gasket is leaking, it pressurizes your crank case and can cause issues with Turbos, etc. I'll let Rob chime in and elaborate on this. Use Valvoline chlorine free parts claener applied to the rag not the surface, dont want to much parts cleaner in the motor LOL!!

Clean surface on Motor of all Gasket material - Very important! If you leave it dirty, you will be sorry:

This picture illustrates where the Head breathes into the Valve Cover - have to give Rob Beck credit for this, I had no idea! LOL:

Clean out debris here (I found a bunch of burnt June Bugs in mine! LOL):

New Valve Cover Gasket installed - just push it on:

Insert Spark Plug Guides into Valve Cover before installing it on motor:

Installing Tips:

Really couldn't get pics of this. It's easiest with another pair of hands. Move everything out of the way, the ECU wires go behind Valve Cover easily. Take care not to scrape the Gasket so it falls out. It's really not that difficult - took my wife and I about two minutes to install.

Bolt pattern for tightening I used, I snugged them all then went back and torqued to spec

When putting in bolts, torque down to only 7lbs of torque. Anymore and you will strip the head. Do a bolt pattern - front to back, etc. There's a larger bolt that goes in the right front corner and one that goes in the left rear corner (as you're looking at the car):

TIP: When installing the Fuel Rail, install the bolts first - before you start any fittings otherwise you may strip a bolt hole in the head, like I did (I retapped them easily but much easier if you just don't strip them LOL).

I'd like to send out BIG thanks to Rob Beck for his tips on this job. I appreciate it, man!
Robc

Apparently I cannot rep you because I repped you yesterday and haven't repped anyone since. Honestly, no one else goes into this level of detail or documents things as concisely. Pictures are what makes threads like this worth it.

Did you think about trying to clean out the cyclonic separators or other parts of the PCV system when you had the valve cover off?

Apparently I cannot rep you because I repped you yesterday and haven't repped anyone since. Honestly, no one else goes into this level of detail or documents things as concisely. Pictures are what makes threads like this worth it.

Did you think about trying to clean out the cyclonic separators or other parts of the PCV system when you had the valve cover off?

I appreciate that man! I sprayed them a bit but I am going to just get a new cover with my new head.

Anything with the name valve related to the our car motor I start to get nervous. My previous E92 my heads broke three times, two on the dealer and once on me before I threw teh towel in at the dealer. It all started from them changing the valve cover gasket.

Great DIY though, if I get desperate I might give it a shot when that time comes

And another great DIY. Glad to have you on this board. At around how many miles should it be replaced?

I appreciate that man, I would honestly do this at anything greater than 60,000 miles, a valve cover gasket gone bad can start pressurize your crankcase and give you all sorts of PCV problems....RobBeck actually thinks it can effect turbo performance ect due to the oil feed lines ect rely on the PVC system. I am replacing my valve cover actually...265.00 and it comes with new bolts, gasket and cover. I also highly suggest anyone doing this get the upgraded RB valve also.